Symptoms

• Definition: the proliferation of abnormal plasma cells in the bone marrow and abnormal monoclonal antibodies (immunoglobulins IgA and IgG) in the blood, causing paraproteinemia
• The second most common haematological malignancy
• More common in men, black people, aged>60
• Can be preceded by MGUS (monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance): monoclonal paraprotein band in isolation, no other myeloma features
• MGUS: ~1% per year progress to myeloma
• Uncurable

Symptoms

• Lower back pain
• Fatigue
• Hypercalcaemia symptoms: confusion, constipation, muscle weakness, thirst, polyuria
• Weight loss
• Recurrent infections
• Hyperviscosity symptoms: headaches, visual disturbances, cognitive impairment, mucosal bleeding, SOB
• Spinal cord compression: sensory loss (lower limbs/nerve distributions), paraesthesia, limb weakness, walking difficulties, sphincter disturbance May be asymptomatic